Compare towns

Ware vs Woonsocket vs Dudley vs Winchendon

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Dudley has the most expensive homes ($393k median).
Winchendon has the most homeowners (76.6%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MeasureWareWoonsocketDudleyWinchendon
People
Population
10,048Lowest
43,521Highest
11,929
10,440
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.1±4.7Highest
11% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
40.2±2.4
3% above U.S.
39.6±1.9
about the U.S. average
Ware and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.1%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
20.6%±3.3
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±3.9
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.6%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.9%±3
U.S.: 17.2%
16.9%±2.7
U.S.: 17.2%
Ware and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
24%
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
24.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
21.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.4%±2.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
13.1%±2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$67,475±$15k
16% below U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$84,604±$12kHighest
5% above U.S.
$75,690±$14k
6% below U.S.
Dudley and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$289,700±$28kLowest
13% below U.S.
$311,000±$15k
7% below U.S.
$392,600±$19kHighest
18% above U.S.
$323,800±$19k
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,043±$109Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,217±$182
14% below U.S.
$1,255±$163Highest
11% below U.S.
Winchendon and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,237Highest
36% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$3,691Lowest
18% above U.S.
$3,780
21% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
64.3%±16.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
47.4%±4.1
U.S.: 51.1%
61.7%±17.6
U.S.: 51.1%
Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
18.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
72.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
76.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1960
20 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
8% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
27 minLowest
4% above U.S.
32 minHighest
23% above U.S.
Work from home
12.3%±3.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.1%±2.5
U.S.: 15.1%
11.2%±3.1
U.S.: 15.1%
Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #267 of 282 in MA #37 of 38 in RI #142 of 282 in MA #269 of 282 in MA
School district Ware RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Dudley-Charlton Reg Winchendon
High school in town Ware Junior/Senior High School Woonsocket High School Shepherd Hill Regional High Murdock High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.1Lowest
15.2Highest
14.3
11.3
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U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.